Penn

Veterinary Science Graduate Certificate from UofI
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
how many credit units did you guys put for semester for the stafford loan form?
:confused:
Members don't see this ad.
 
Is there a website or anything that anyone knows of that gives a synopsis of the pluses and minuses of each lender? IE how easy they are to work with, if they take your first born, etc.
 
eatpinkpenguins said:
Come on Penn Thread! Come back to life!

Okay, so I was reading the (a little depressing) thread on the vet school forum about how some schools have, shall we say, a sort of tedious first two years w/out much animal interaction until clinics. I heard that the clubs are the way to go for hands on animal stuff at Penn, but what about that intro to clinical skills class? What is that class about?
Click to expand...

This is an old question, but I just happened to notice that it didn't get answered. ICVM is the class you are talking about. The class comes in 3 parts and lasts all of first year. I will just mention the hands on lab parts of the course. In ICVM I you have labs to practice the small animal physical exam skills being taught in lecture. In ICVM II you have labs to introduce you to some of the different specialties in the small animal hospital (cardiology, exotics, behavior, etc....). Some of these labs are more hands on than others, but they are fun for the most part and helped me to remember the big picture. Then in ICVM III you get to go out to New Bolton 2 times for equine, bovine and swine labs. These labs are totally awesome and super hands-on. You pretty much do it all in these labs: equine ophthalmology, rectal palpations of cows, equine lameness exams, etc...

In addition to these labs, there are lots of opportunities in other places if you want them. I work at the medical school in a research colony
taking care of puppies with muscular dystrophy. We get all the physical exam (of the moms and the pups) opportunities we can handle. We also get alot of experience in nenonatal intensive care. There is another dog colony here at the vet school that recruits students early on in the year. Other hands on opportunities I can think of right now have included one of the doctors looking for an assistant for acupuncture appointments, one of the services in the small animal hospital was looking for students to do after hours treatments on post-op patients, and there have been several others. Plus the clubs definitely do some fun stuff. The opportunities are here, you just have to be flexible because the majority of them won't be during class time.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
I was looking over the educational budget form that was included in our massive packet of information, and I was wondering if anyone knew what the "General Fee" includes? $2074 seems like a rather large bit of random money to pay when I don't know what it's for...

(and if this has been asked and answered elsewhere already, I apologize.)
 
It pays for important things like Ferraris and gold fillings for the board of trustees.
 
vnair2 said:
It pays for important things like Ferraris and gold fillings for the board of trustees.
Click to expand...

I believe they've actually decided to switch to the Bentley for the 2009 term...

ETA: I <3 this thread.... :love:
 
Here's a nosy question for you... how much in private loans are you guys applying for? I know I can't make it on the $40,500/yr, but have not done a damn thing about asking for more yet, because I can't decide how frugal I'm actually going to be.
 
While you guys are probably more clever and more accurate, I found what they officially SAY the general fee pays for:

General Fee: The General Fee helps support facilities such as the library systems, museum, special laboratories, and non-academic services such as intercollegiate activities, recreational facilities, the Student Health Center and Student Placement Center.

(Taken from: http://www.sfs.upenn.edu/billing-tips/billing-faqs.htm)

All I've got to say is, they better at least let us take the Bentleys when we carpool to New Bolton.
 
dgm said:
Here's a nosy question for you... how much in private loans are you guys applying for? I know I can't make it on the $40,500/yr, but have not done a damn thing about asking for more yet, because I can't decide how frugal I'm actually going to be.
Click to expand...

I'm still waiting to hear back about the health professional's loan and perkins... if I get them, I don't plan on taking out any private...

Has anyone been in the Penn library...? For $2,000 per student it better be looking something like what Congress has...
 
I was in a library room for my interview... it wasn't gold plated or anything haha. And like Shanomong I am waiting to hear about HP and Perkins loans before I decide anything else.
 
The library is pretty, but i would rather have the $2000 dollars. Who needs books when I have teh intarwebz.
 
Not sure if everyone is able to log into Penn InTouch yet, but if you're waiting to find out about Perkins or Health Professions loans, the info is posted there... Ashra did tell me on Monday that our next mailing is going out this week, so I guess we should all know soon anyways.
 
oh man. I haven't even "taken care" of everything from the first packet yet...not even close.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
I'm right there with you on that...
 
Yeah, I've spent all afternoon trying to track down all my vaccines. What a pain in the butt. I got some at my college health center (which is closed for the summer but they're occasionally checking the voicemail messages), others at my pediatrician (I'm not even in the computer there it's been so long!) and I got 2/3 of my rabies vaccines done at a doctor in the Bronx whose name I cannot remember (I was volunteering at the Bronx Zoo that summer and they were required), and 1/3 at my dad's office. So far I've been successful at tracking down 1 rabies vaccine. Awesome.

I did order my stethoscope, which arrived very quickly, from Redding Medical. I tried to listen to my dog last night and failed. She wasn't being very helpful though as she seems to think that the rubbery part is absolutely De.Li.Cious. and simply must be chewed on.

Otherwise, I've done nothing. I'm having an especially hard time coming up with "hobbies and interests" for that info sheet as most of my hobbies are pretty dorky and I don't want to look like a dork. Even though I am.

Another silly question...What are y'all doing about the coveralls? The pictured example has short sleeves, but I'm not sure I want to be sporting short sleeves at New Bolton in February. Do most people get 2 pairs (1 short sleeved and 1 long sleeved)?
 
Oh! And I forgot--I finally selected a Stafford Lender! So I suppose I've been somewhat productive, haha.
 
Ben and Me said:
Otherwise, I've done nothing. I'm having an especially hard time coming up with "hobbies and interests" for that info sheet as most of my hobbies are pretty dorky and I don't want to look like a dork. Even though I am.
Click to expand...

I dont think you will be alone on this one. I don't remember exactly what I wrote, but I remember it being very unflattering. So be it.
 
Hmmm, I see only Stafford loans on Penn InTouch... I guess that means I was rejected for the other 2?? I don't see how that's possible.
 
Did you look under your financial aid package (as opposed to in the loans section)? It's also possible they haven't finished entering everyone's info...
 
Yeah look in the section that says "financial aid awards."

...yay I'm not going to be quite as poor as I thought!
 
I am freaking out....I looked at it, it still doesn't say anything!!

WHAT THE HECK???
 
Also, someone please help me with our class schedule...I know I go a sample one somewhere but between my lab bench, desk, newly moving I am a mess.

Can someone send me one?

THANKS!
 
Ben and Me, I'm having similar difficulties getting my immunization record together. My undergrad apparently doesn't have ANY records of me because I was a transfer student (and transfer students don't need vaccines? Ok...) and apparently they never got them from me in the first place. My doctor moved to Ohio and I can't go to her practice here anyway because I lost my good insurance so they want nothing to do with me. I'm trying to get in contact with my first undergrad but their health office is "closed for the month of June."

Anyway now I'll try to be helpful instead of ranting. I talked to a very nice nurse at Penn student health and she said that it's fine to get undergrad records faxed from your school, but they understand that it's not always possible and they are used to it. She said that you can just go to student health at Penn and they draw titers (for MMR and all the other childhood ones) and if you're missing anything they will update you. It's all covered by the student health insurance. She said the hold on your account doesn't kick in until October, so as long as you are proactive and try to get your appointment in before school starts, you're fine. She just pointed out that they have to deal with many thousands of procrastinator undergrads and that they have to threaten you with the hold because of that (obviously not a reason to procrastinate). I feel better about it now (of course I had to freak out that I would never be able to go to school because my silly doctors' office only cares about money and so on) so I hope that you will feel better about it too in case you aren't able to track down yours.
 
anxwaiting said:
I am freaking out....I looked at it, it still doesn't say anything!!

WHAT THE HECK???
Click to expand...


mine still says I am an undergrad even though I've been trying to get them to change it for the last 2 weeks :confused::confused:

I haven't gotten a class schedule yet. Maybe when I get home tonight?

haha. clearly I'm not the most informed one on this thread.

But as for coveralls, I think I saw pics of people with the short sleeve ones in the fall, so maybe I will just buy a pair of those for starters.
 
anxwaiting, I'll type out the first year of the sample schedule from interviews:

Fall
Gross Anatomy
Histology
Developmental Biology
Biochemistry
Intro to Clinical Vet. Med. I
Elective: Intro to Wildlife Med. I

Quarter 3
Gross Anatomy (cont.)
Neurosciences
Physiology
Clin. Vet. Med. II
Elective: Intro to Wildlife Med II

Quarter 4
Neurosciences (cont.)
Physiology (cont.)
Clin. Vet. Med. III
Intro Radiology
Nutrition
Immunology
Elective: Intro to Wildlife Med III
 
I think you can also take the Wharton Business certificate class as something optional. I believe it's once a week at night and pass/fail.
 
The huge packet said we didn't need coveralls until March and they advise us not to buy the boots until orientation. So I'm going to wait and see what people recommend coverall-wise.
 
eatpinkpenguins said:
I think you can also take the Wharton Business certificate class as something optional. I believe it's once a week at night and pass/fail.
Click to expand...

I think you've confused a couple of things. There's a way to get a VMD/MBA through Wharton, but to my knowledge no one has done it in years. There used to be a way to get a certificate through Wharton that was a lot easier, but it doesn't exist anymore. Now we have the VBMA, Veterinary Business Management Association, which is a certificate course offered through the vet school itself, not Wharton. It meets 1-2x per month, usually for 3-6 hour sessions, and isn't pass/fail so much as it is attendance based. It doesn't count towards your credit hours or your GPA, you just get a nice little certificate (and $300 of your $600 back) when you graduate. If you want to be a practice owner, I recommend it. If you want to be an associate vet, I (personally!) think you get all the information you need, and then some, in the business electives your third year. It seems like nearly everyone takes the business certificate course these days, and as nice as it is, I don't think it's necessarily for everyone.

The huge packet said we didn't need coveralls until March and they advise us not to buy the boots until orientation. So I'm going to wait and see what people recommend coverall-wise.
Click to expand...
Wise. There's no rush on the coveralls...get to school, try on one of your friend's pairs, and order the size you need online for half of what the store the school recommends charges. Or, just wait til you're in Philly and go to the store when you have a free weekend. There's no reason to worry about that now. Boots too. They hold a little boot-trying-on session during orientation, and place a group order then.
 
Just FYI, I think that packet says that they'll give us the official class schedule during orientation week. :)
 
bunnity said:
Yeah look in the section that says "financial aid awards."
Click to expand...

Hmm, thought I looked there alerady but I guess not... this is what I got:


Financial Aid for Fall 09 / Spring 10

Your financial aid package is currently under review. Please check back later.

I swear vet school is centered around making people wait :p
 
Shanomong said:
Your financial aid package is currently under review. Please check back later.
Click to expand...

That's what mine says today, too. But yesterday there was stuff under there! They're probably taking it all back today.
 
So my financial aid info was updated today, and it shows me with a ridiculous EFC, and only $25,000 total in loans including Health Prof., Perkins, and Stafford. It says it's for the entire year so i'm freaking out a little... I emailed Ashra... I REALLY hope that's just for the Fall semester, or I'm pretty screwed.
 
Shanomong said:
So my financial aid info was updated today, and it shows me with a ridiculous EFC, and only $25,000 total in loans including Health Prof., Perkins, and Stafford. It says it's for the entire year so i'm freaking out a little... I emailed Ashra... I REALLY hope that's just for the Fall semester, or I'm pretty screwed.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what mine looks like, too (and what I saw last week, as well). I freaked out for a little bit, but figured it's a mistake. The literature we've received says Perkins & HPLs are only for people with high need. If I have so damn much money that I'd only need $25k/yr, why would they give me a little bit of each of those? It also clearly says we are guaranteed $40,500 in Stafford loans, just by being admitted - so it wouldn't make sense if I'm only getting $21,500/yr, which is what my financial aid package currently says.

I'm not freaking out until I receive a mailing that echoes the info on Penn InTouch. If the numbers on Penn InTouch right now are correct... well let's just say a wait-lister will be getting a phone call!
 
Last edited:
dgm said:
That's exactly what mine looks like, too (and what I saw last week, as well). I freaked out for a little bit, but figured it's a mistake. The literature we've received says Perkins & HPLs are only for people with high need. If I have so damn much money that I'd only need $25k/yr, why would they give me a little bit of each of those? It also clearly says we are guaranteed $40,500 in Stafford loans, just by being admitted - so it wouldn't make sense if I'm only getting $21,500/yr, which is what my financial aid package currently says.

I'm not freaking out until I receive a mailing that echoes the info on Penn InTouch. If the numbers on Penn InTouch right now are correct... well let's just say a wait-lister will be getting a phone call!
Click to expand...


Good this makes me feel better :)

I thought the same thing about the need requirements for Health Prof and Perkins... Ashra probably think's I'm pretty "special" by now with the dumb questions I keep emailing :p
 
I'm trying to avoid being labeled "special" also, so when she writes you back, can you give us an update?
 
Heard back from Ashra, who agree's InTouch isn't very user friendly... that amount is closer to my semester awards than it is to the annual amount... crisis over yay!
 
Did you guys get your stethoscopes yet? I have no idea which one I should buy or how to choose.
 
I got mine--a Cardiology III :) That's what 2/3 vets have at my practice, and the 3rd wishes she had one.

I just got another round of letters in the mail--one with my Stafford loan info (and a sheet to say how much of the loan I want to accept) and the other about my Penn student ID card. Yay! I can't believe we'll be starting orientation in around 2 months!
 
I got the "vet scope" which I think is a version of the Cardio II. I've been running around harassing my animals (and friends) with it :)
I don't really know much about stethoscopes but I do know it is WAY easier to hear stuff than with the crappy ones I'm used to using on humans.
 
I got another big packet from Penn today including financial aid stuff.
Are you guys going to buy textbooks now or hold off until you know which ones we really really need?
 
bunnity said:
I got another big packet from Penn today including financial aid stuff.
Are you guys going to buy textbooks now or hold off until you know which ones we really really need?
Click to expand...

I think I'm going to hold off on books until I hear from my big sib or upper classmen. As tempting as it is to go spend a few more hundreds

Is anyone going to any of the New Bolton activities? I'm thinking of signing up for the one day trip and trying to bum a ride with someone with a car...
 
eatpinkpenguins said:
I think I'm going to hold off on books until I hear from my big sib or upper classmen. As tempting as it is to go spend a few more hundreds

Is anyone going to any of the New Bolton activities? I'm thinking of signing up for the one day trip and trying to bum a ride with someone with a car...
Click to expand...

You mean "Parents and Partners Day", or did I miss something in the packet?

I might do the food animal thing, just waiting for the husband to find out when his vacation is b/c if it's that week we'll be away....
 
Yep, I'm talking about the food animal thing at New Bolton. I'm just trying to feel out the transportation situation. I wonder how many people are interested in it. I've milked in a small organic dairy, but I've never actually seen a vet interact with a cow/diagnose/help give birth etc.
 
I'm considering doing it, but I'm also planning on moving in that week so I need to think about it a bit more and figure out if I'll have time. I was kind of looking forward to a nice, leisurely week of moving in and getting acquainted with the city, but it also sounds like a really cool opportunity. I've spent some time around cattle, but they still make me a bit nervous, so I'd like to get some more hands on experience. I really enjoyed the few hours I spent at a dairy helping with AI, and apparently you can make that into an entire career. If I do go, you can ride with me :)

I wonder how it works with the boots though, since they said in the first packet to hold off on ordering until orientation week--but then you need hoseable boots to do the sessions?
 
:ninja:



btw, I don't think I'm going to do that food animal thing... I'm too lazy to buy coveralls and boots ahead of time. :)
 
I emailed the prof about the boot issue and he said " Any washable rubber boots will do. Boots are probably not needed, as we'll likely just take a tour of the food animal units (swine and dairy farms) and can find disposable boots if needed. "

But yeah. I'll have to see. I too was planning on just sitting around for a week or so before, enjoying life, getting my place livable, but it seems like too good of an opportunity to pass up. Then again, I feel like a lot of people also think that and I've never had much luck with lotteries in the past :laugh::laugh:
 
Honestly, I think it's the drive that killed it for me. I've been covering shifts at a regular vet out in the greater state of PA, and it takes me on average 1.5 hours to get there, and I got a $163 speeding ticket on Tuesday after spending almost 2 hours in traffic... I'm kind of over commuting... I'll meet the cows when the time comes, I'm sure we'll get all the exposure we need in school
 
Anyone able to get that off-campus housing search link to work? Cause I'm not...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

A
Purdue (IS) vs. Penn (OOS)
Replies
9
Views
658
meowrawrhiss
M
phenomenology
Seeking Penn Postbac Experiences/Advice
Replies
2
Views
279
phenomenology
phenomenology
Y
Cornell (OOS) vs. Penn (OOS)
Replies
15
Views
2K
Halocat
Halocat
F
Penn vs. Cornell vs. UT vs. VaMd
Replies
0
Views
405
futurevetH02
F
classievet
Penn Vet Reapplicants
Replies
0
Views
550
classievet
classievet
Top